Mission and Goals

The Whalesong Project is dedicated to inspiring stewardship of the ocean and environment by providing meaningful connections to the world's undersea community.

GOALS

Share the songs of Hawai'i's whales with the world, live over the Internet, during the islands' humpback whale season (November to June) through our website www.whalesong.net

Research and develop acoustic and other monitoring technologies to enhance the transmission quality of the songs from the hydro-phone off the coast of Maui to the website link

Develop curricula and other multimedia materials for schools and community events, to foster greater appreciation and understanding of the whales and their importance to us all

Whalesong is a project inspired by the beauty of oceans. This beauty includes not only the visual aspects of the water planet we live on, but also a mysterious and incredible world of sound, which whales and dolphins use to navigate and communicate across vast oceans. The vocalizations of these ancient cetaceans have inspired music, poetry, scientific discovery, and perhaps even languages and cultures.

These magnificent marine mammals and the messages that they communicate face new challenges as the sonic world of the seas becomes the testing ground for high powered sonar systems and new military technologies, scientific research that utilizes high intensity sound, undersea explosions related to the search for oil and minerals, as well as other human activities. Global warming, carbon dioxide dumping, radioactive and chemical pollution, and commercial whaling are other threats.

Whalesong is a group of volunteers dedicated to inspiring stewardship of the oceans and the environment, and to helping "give a microphone" to important voices that may not be heard above the noise of the modern world.

We believe that the voices of the natural world, and of Hawaiian and other native cultures that have a connection with that world, carry inspiration and mana’o (wisdom) that can help carry humanity into the future in a more benevolent way.

We carry out our kuleana (responsibility and privilege) through our website, through the development of acoustic and other monitoring technologies, development of curriculum materials for schools, cultural events, public outreach and education, and other volunteer efforts.